Community Immersion - experiential learning through volunteering
Community immersion is an approach for communities and researchers to meet, learn and build trust and confidence in each other.
Funded by NHS England, through the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System Research Engagement Network, we are exploring the feasibility of researchers volunteering in community organisations through a pilot project in 2026.
Why Community Immersion?
We all want research that is relevant, inclusive and connected to local communities. But there can be barriers to making this happen.
Researchers may not know where to start in building connections with communities, or how to develop and sustain meaningful relationships over time. Tight research and funding timescales can also make long-term engagement difficult. At the same time, research is not always designed or communicated in ways that connect with communities.
Our Community Immersion pilot
The Community Immersion pilot was developed in late 2025 and launched in early 2026. Our first cohort of five researchers volunteered with four local community organisations, gaining first-hand experience of their work and the communities they support.
Researchers took part in a range of activities, including helping at breakfast clubs, a mother and baby group and an evening hot meal club, as well as supporting activities at a retreat celebrating International Women’s Day.
Feedback from the pilot has been very positive. The programme was also independently evaluated as part of the Research Engagement Network activities, and we look forward to sharing more about what we have learned soon.
What happens next?
We are now using what we learned from the pilot to develop the next phase of Community Immersion. Our ambition is to establish the programme as an ongoing learning and development opportunity for researchers, helping them build the knowledge, confidence and relationships needed to work meaningfully with communities.
It is an opportunity for researchers to:
- Make a positive difference to our local communities through volunteering
- Learn skills for community engagement and for working equitably with communities
- Build community links for future collaboration
- Become leading advocates for community engagement
It is an opportunity for communities to:
- Welcome volunteers for hands-on help
- Highlight great work that communities are doing
- Meet researchers and discover more about the work they do
- Share views and priorities for future collaboration.
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